Australian Open 2019: Andy Murray tipped to come back from hip surgery

Doubles specialist Bob Bryan had the same hip resurfacing operation that Murray is strongly considering

Paul Newman
Melbourne
Wednesday 16 January 2019 11:08 GMT
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Andy Murray after Australian Open loss: 'maybe I'll see you again'

Andy Murray is being encouraged by Bob Bryan, the American doubles player, to have a second hip operation. Bryan is back playing tennis five months after having hip “resurfacing” surgery and believes that Murray could follow his example.

“I would love to see him do a similar surgery, feel the relief that it gives,” Bryan said here at the Australian Open on Wednesday after making a successful return to Grand Slam competition. “I think our hips are pretty similar: just worn-down, no cartilage.”

Bryan, who suffered his hip injury last year and eventually had surgery in August, has been in regular contact with Murray, who has been struggling ever since hurting his right hip in the summer of 2017. Murray had an initial operation 12 months ago but it failed to alleviate the physical pain from the hip and he is still walking with discomfort.

After losing his first-round match here on Monday Murray flew home today. He expects to make a decision on whether to have a second operation within the next week, but says that he will "probably" opt for surgery.

Murray has been in regular contact with Bryan, who has recommended the New York-based surgeon, Dr Edwin Su, who operated on his hip. Bryan said that Murray had already spoken to Dr Su.

Bryan tried a number of other options – including a stem cell injection – before deciding on surgery. It's called a hip ‘resurfacing’ with an artificial implant,” Bryan said when asked to describe the surgery he underwent. “It's a full replacement. It has the bar that goes all the way down the femur. This is a little more a sports, high-performance, smaller metal implant.”

Bryan was on crutches for two weeks after the surgery but said he felt no pain when he started walking again. “I'm just telling Andy: ‘I feel great, my quality of life is great, practices are going well.’ Maybe I'm not 100 per cent yet, but I'm only five months. The doctors said it’s more like seven or eight months until you feel perfect.”

Bryan said that Murray had been “watching me like a hawk, asking me how I'm feeling after matches, after practices, where I'm at. He's just trying to gauge how long it would take him, if this procedure is an option.”

The “resurfacing” operation involves removing the damaged surface in the hip joint and replacing it with a smooth artificial film. Bryan said that Dr Su was “the only guy who has got professional athletes back to their profession. He's the only guy that's got them back to the highest level. He's done a baseball guy, an NBA guy and a hockey player. No tennis player yet until me has come back.”

However, Bryan acknowledged that singles was “a different monster” to doubles. He explained: “Those [singles] guys are really sliding around, killing themselves for four hours. Who knows if this joint would hold up? It's not going to break, but who knows if you have that little explosiveness needed to be super-quick on the singles court? If you're a step slow, it's very exposed out there on a singles court.”

Murray played what could be his last match on Monday

Bryan said Murray had become very knowledgeable about hip problems. “He's extremely educated on this,” he said. “No one's done more research about hips, doctors. He knew my doctor inside and out, all the cases.

“The guy is knowledgeable beyond belief on the hip, on the surgery. He's going to do what's best for him. He doesn't want to be limping any more.

“He does everything you can possibly do as far as training and rehab. He's talked to a million specialists. But I'm really the only guy to be playing on tour with a metal hip. No one's ever come back with this surgery on the singles court. I'm showing that it can be done in doubles.”

Emotional Andy Murray says Australian Open could be last tournament after struggling to recover from hip surgery

Bryan said he would not under-estimate Murray in terms of the work he would put into rehabilitation work after surgery. “You look at the great workers in history: Lendl, Courier, Roddick. This guy is maybe even a step up from those guys.

“I think he's to the point where this is probably his last option. I would love to see him do it just for quality of life. You can sleep, walk, be with your kids, play. It's frustrating when you can't put on your shoes.”

Bryan also believes that the Scot can return to top-flight competition following surgery. “I personally think he can do it,” he said.

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